EUCEN 42nd European Conference - Bridging the gaps between learning pathways: the role of universities

EUCEN 42nd European Conference. Lifelong Learning: a new mission for University? 16-18 November 2011, Genoa, Italy.

Conference Theme
Nowadays, universities are increasingly called upon to address various issues relating to adult education. Be they people wanting to get academic recognition, to resume previously interrupted university studies, or to see their skills recognized, these adults lead universities to face new challenges.
In partnership with other educational agencies and with methods and paths other than traditional ones, higher education institutions are indeed expected to contribute to the development of a new learning paradigm. This model should promote an active process of orientation and personalization of the courses, as well as recognition of competences that the adult may have already acquired non-formally or informally through the workplace, through vocational training courses conducted independently or, again, cultivating a hobby.
Universities are therefore demanded to expand their mission by increasing, even with innovative approaches, the dissemination of knowledge, by enhancing the learning spaces for a variety of new kind of learners, so that citizens can be offered real training opportunities, and finally by fostering the recognition and validation of acquired experience.
Conference topics
- Tools and methodologies to recognize, assess and validate prior experiential learning outcomes
- Proper technologies as support for developing best practices
- Ways to spread out and share common regulations
- Enhancing free movement of people with their competences.